Special Meeting of the Newark Municipal Council – September 27, 2024
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Special Meeting of the Newark Municipal Council – September 27, 2024
This special meeting was convened to consider and adopt the City of Newark's 2024 municipal budget, including amendments. The budget totaled $968,151,492.94, reflecting a 2.3–2.4% increase over the previous year. The council heard public testimony and ultimately voted unanimously (8-0) to adopt the budget as amended.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Carl Schwartz (Vice President, AFSCME Local 2298 – library union) and Beth Cohen (President, same union) thanked the council for the additional funding for the library, expressed hope for future growth, and noted the need for a new union contract and member raises.
- Denise Cole (South Ward resident) complained about a false police complaint filed against her, detailed her efforts to get the matter investigated, and urged the council to ensure officers are properly trained on investigations.
- Latoya Jackson (South Ward resident) spoke about community violence, her own child being shot, and called on the council to take action and unify the community.
- Lisa Parker criticized the budget as a “sham,” questioned revenue streams (parking lots, festivals, cannabis), alleged unpaid workers at DPW and summer youth programs, and said the budget was not properly presented to the public.
- A speaker who refused to give her name (later implied as “Menera El Bumani” or similar) called the budget a “sham,” urged residents to contact the state comptroller, and accused the administration of failing to present a timely budget.
- Another speaker (unnamed) accused the council of holding the meeting at 10 a.m. to exclude working people, and made various allegations about the mayor and other officials.
Discussion Items
- Budget Presentation and Amendments: Business Administrator Eric Pennington presented the 2024 budget amendments, highlighting an additional $1,066,000 for the Newark Public Library, lease payments for new public safety facilities (police academy, ballistics lab, evidence storage, traffic facility) totaling nearly $20 million annually, and a $22 million interest-free state loan to offset payments to the county.
- Revenue Projections: Pennington explained that increased revenue projections (about $200 million) came from new property assessments (warehouses, buildings) and a 53,000-line increase in properties on the tax rolls.
- Library Oversight: Council members expressed support for the library increase and requested fiscal oversight. Pennington confirmed no specific spending stipulations but said the city would monitor the library’s financial management.
- Police Facility Costs: Councilman Ramos noted that the $20 million annual lease payments would recur for 25 years (total ~$500 million), and the city faces challenges with revaluation not being completed by 2025. Pennington defended the costs as necessary for specialized, state-of-the-art buildings.
- Budget Timing: Councilwoman Scott-Rountree urged better timing for future budgets to avoid last-minute pressure; Pennington pledged to start the 2025 budget process in October.
- DPW Pay and Equipment: Council members Council and Kelly raised concerns about reports of bounced checks and underpaid DPW workers. Pennington said he was not aware of any employee with a bounced check, that pay issues are resolved quickly, and that the city will stop purchasing unreliable street sweepers (Ravos) and test alternatives.
Key Outcomes
- Adoption of 2024 Municipal Budget: The council voted unanimously (8-0) to adopt Resolution 7R8-c(s) 24-1294, giving final approval to the amended budget totaling $968,151,492.94 for the period January 1 – December 31, 2024.
- Approval of Budget Amendments: Resolutions 7R8-a(s) 24-1191 (authorizing reading by title only) and 7R8-b(s) 24-1280 (amending the introduced budget) were also adopted.
- Next Steps: The administration will work with the library to ensure fiscal prudence; DPW equipment issues will be addressed; the 2025 budget process will begin in October.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. Welcome to the special meeting of the Newark Municipal Council on Friday, September 27th, 2024. In accordance with New Jersey Law, adequate notice of this meeting has been provided to the Starledger, the Jersey Journal, and the public at large, establishing the date, time, and location of this meeting. Scott Roundtree. Present. Silva. Absent. President Crump. Present. Council President. Council President, Council members, we are on page four of the agenda resolutions. Sure. Good morning, Council President, Councilmembers Eric Pennington, uh business administrator. The administration is uh pleased to present to the council amendments to the uh budget and uh to seek obviously your approval to adopt the budget as amended. You have a list of the amendments, and I believe the uh budget chair has additional information with respect to uh information that you may have questions about are relevant uh to the budget. The budget has amended is in the uh this is listed on the agendas in the total amount of 968, 151 dollars uh 151,492 dollars and ninety-four cents, uh which is obviously the largest budget we have had. We're approaching a one billion dollar budget. There are some uh some of the amendments that the council asked for are included here, one of which is an additional one million plus for the uh for the library. There are a few significant additions. The police buildings are now online, and uh so as reflected in this budget, there are rents now that we're gonna have to pay on those uh budgets. We also got a 22 million dollar uh interest free loan from the state to offset some unanticipated expenses with respect to monies that we have to pay to the county. All that is reflected in this budget, and uh we are hopeful that you see that it's appropriate and that you will uh uh adopt it today. Thank you, Mr. B. Any questions? Uh Councilman Ramos. Uh thank you, Mr. President, and and then thank you, uh Mr. BA for summarizing some of the major changes. Um just a few questions. I know the state recently approved the city's budget, and uh part of what it what went to the state was um included some um significant increases in some revenue uh projections. Was that accepted by the state and their monitoring of our proposal and um from from from from the administration standpoint? Like how do you justify those proposed increases in revenue? Like have what's the basis for that? Well, we already know uh based on the added admitted that we have that there's a uh uh increase, assuming that the council certifies the budget, uh not council, I'm sorry, the county tax board certifies the budget of about 200 million dollars. Um that is largely due to the assessments of uh new properties that have come online and properties that have been adjusted, new warehouses and new buildings uh that are in the city. So we've done quite well in that regard. So the increase in in revenue projections are are attributed to you know the valuation or or or increases in property values and and the assessments that follow that. Increase in property values and new properties that are come online is about 53,000 lines uh of properties now that we have. Yes. You mentioned the the rents that are due for police or are you referencing the the academy? Yes, and what's that amount annualized amount that we have to pay for the development of the uh police academy and the that that that unique arrangement the city has? It's about ten million dollars. And that's over how many years is that? Oh my goodness, 25, I think. And we're also looking at the the ballistics lab is not included in in this year's budget, right? That's a new project that's gonna come before the council next year. No, that's included in this budget as well. Okay, and what's that amount? Uh about three million dollars.
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